Saffron Tortellia
by B.T.X. Anthony
Summary: The Dead Star amulet brought them together once, and it did it again for Drax and Saffron. A Nova Corpswoman trying to get by with her orphaned half-brother, and a Guardian with no intentions of moving on. The two knew each other as kids, they listened to each other's childhood dreams, but can their adulthood professions get in the way of their futures?
1. Chapter 1

The young girl, Saffron, laughed with glee as she played with the neighborhood kids. Though they were of different intergalactic races, they all acted as a family. Saffron loved that about her group of friends.

"Drax, stop it! I'm telling the truth, just please..." Saffron heard from behind her house.

Saffron knew that was her friend, Skylar, wailing with fright. A hand grabbed her shoulder, "I think it would be best if you stay out of it, Saffron. Drax is dangerous." It was Lucy.

Lucy, being of the Kree, she knew what true danger was. Lucy was older than Saffron, and she was the leader of their friendship circle, so whatever she says is law. Although Lucy wasn't her sister, Saffron respected her like an older sister, but didn't think what was happening was something to leave alone.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lucy commanded as Saffron started walking.

Saffron was known to be an excellent liar, so she replied, "My parents told me to be home before dinner. You don't want me to be punished, do you?"

Lucy shook her head with a disbelieving look on her face.

Saffron quickly took out her house key and opened the door. In all honesty, her parents were at the travel agent's office, to prepare for when they would leave Knowhere in four months, and deliver Saffron's soon to be half-brother. What she truly wanted to do was to see what Drax, the scariest kid on Knowhere, was doing to Skylar.

"If you don't give it back, I'll just have to take it by force." yelled someone from behind her house's backdoor.

Saffron grabbed her stepfather's In-Case-of-an-Emergency gun from the mantle, filling it with special shocker bullets for extra sting. Her stepfather, Ray, was a Nova corpsman, and when she was seven, he taught her how to use the gun.

Her heart pounding out of her chest, Saffron went through the backdoor, yelling at the top of her lungs, "Get away from him, you intergalactic bully!"

Skylar couldn't believe what he was seeing, and screamed to her, "Saffron, run or he'll get you too!"

Drax glared her way, sending a shiver down Saffron's spine. Drax was at least five-foot-eleven, an average built with some muscled arms, gray skin, black hair, and completely white eyes. He wore a dirt covered shirt, black pants, and matching black, fingerless gloves. He was only thirteen, four years older than Saffron, but was still intimidating to anyone and everyone. To Saffron, he was the image of pure hate and terror.

"So, you're one of his accomplices." Drax said in his gravelly tone.

Saffron held up the gun to aim. Drax had his hands up with fear creeping into his face, expecting her to actually shoot. She saw this, and felt like a monster. Saffron wasn't even sure if she was willing to, Ray always told her that before you accuse someone of a crime, you had to know the facts, and Saffron put the gun back down at her side.

"What are you doing, Saffron? Shoot him." Skylar said as though Saffron was nuts to put the gun down.

"Not yet."

Skylar was surprised by this answer, "What do you mean, 'not yet?'"

Saffron turned away from Skylar to look at Drax. He may have looked tough, but she knew that everyone had a hidden side to them. Maybe he had one of his own. Saffron wanted to find out.

"I mean that I want to know what is going on first, before I shoot anybody." Saffron traced the gun's exterior with her index finger.

Skylar stood up, brushed himself off, and started to back away from the two.

"Yeah, you do that. I'll be going home now, thank you." Skylar said as he attempted to escape.

"Skylar?"

"Yes, Saffron?"

"Don't hate me for this."

"Hate you for what?"

 _POW, POW_ , went the gun as she fired it to his spinal cord, paralyzing Skylar.

"That. Don't hate me for that." Saffron said.

What had just happened wasn't something Drax was expecting tonight. He just stared down at the nine year old with shock, wondering at what kind of monster would come to their friend's aid, and then do the complete opposite. Drax has seen a lot of low things in his life, but he never thought a sweet little girl would do what Saffron just did.

"Now-" Saffron dropped the gun and smiled like nothing happened, "-what was your business with Skylar?"

"He stole something from a friend of mine." Drax said after he shook his head.

"No I didn't! He's lying!" Skylar yelled instantly with a panicked tone rising.

Saffron knew Skylar wasn't the richest kid, but she didn't think he would steal. Although, there was one possession he had acquired not too long ago that made her suspicious. It was a black gem known as a Dead Star, hanging on a gold chain like an amulet. He had been bragging about it for the past week.

"It wouldn't happen to be a Dead Star amulet, would it?" Saffron asked, trying to hide her anger.

Drax nodded.

"You traitor! Wait till Lucy hears about this!" Skylar yelled out again.

Gunshots flared above them as a group stepped into the alleyway, Saffron's friends. Martin, the Centaurian, held his papa's freeze ray, Penny, the Contraxian, wore her usual poker face, and Damian, the Inhuman, held his glowing hands by his side. Leading them was Lucy.

"I already heard, since you guys were so loud," Lucy walked over to Saffron's side, slapping the back of her head, "And I thought I told you to stay out of this, Saffron."

"I'm sorry, Lucy, but I couldn't help myself, and, and..." Saffron muttered, trying to hold back tears that she didn't know were coming.

"And, and, what? To think, I thought you could join our ravager gang, but you're really just a crybaby poster child." Lucy said harshly.

Saffron's eyes went wide with realization, "Wait. Ravagers?"

Drax knew what was happening, he had seen it before. Every now and then, when the Ravagers needed new recruits, they would send their kids to find tough children who they could use for their own purposes. Once, after winning a fighting tournament, Drax was approached by some Ravager kids, but they didn't stay long when his father sicked some dogs on them. Sadly, there weren't any dogs at the moment to save Saffron.

The Ravager kids began to surround Saffron, and Drax knew if he didn't do anything, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Hey, you lower lifeforms!" Drax yelled to the group.

It caught their attention away from Saffron.

"Am I not the one you're truly after?" Drax asked with a punkish smile.

Martin, Damian, and Penny ran to Drax, firing away at him with their weapons and powers. None of them noticed Saffron as she grabbed the amulet off of Skylar's neck, except for Lucy and Skylar.

"Give that back, Saffron, and maybe I'll go easy on you." Skylar yelled at her in his paralyzed state.

Saffron spit at his foot, saying, "Sorry, I can't talk to strangers. Also, stop yelling, I'm literally standing four inches away from you."

Saffron grabbed her gun as she ran into the black market, dodging bounty hunters, sales booths, and buyers to get as far away as possible. She didn't understand, her friends were Ravager kids? Although, that explained why they all wore those red jackets.

"Get back here, you flarg." Lucy screamed from behind.

Saffron stopped.

Lucy caught up to her and held out her hand with a nasty grin, "Come on, Saffron, let me have it."

It was Saffron's turn to grin as she held Ray's gun up to Lucy, "Here you go."

With that, Saffron shot Lucy in the shoulder, electrocuting her. Lucy fell to her knees with the pain of the bullet, and pain of betrayal.

Drax had finished off the Ravager goons when Saffron came back. He smiled at seeing she got back the necklace, and that she was safe.

With a blush coming on, Saffron looked down and held the necklace out, "I guess this belongs to you."

"No, it belongs to my good friend, Hovat." Drax replied as he took it back.

Saffron felt a tingling inside herself as his strong fingers brushed against her tiny ones. She thought it was either because she felt like a hero, or she didn't like touching other people. Either way, she was proud of herself for doing a good deed.

"By the way, my name is Arthur Douglas. Thank you for getting this back for me." Drax said, confusing Saffron.

"Wait a minute, I thought your name was Drax." Saffron said.

 _All I know is a lie_ , Saffron thought to herself.

The two stood there in silence until Saffron became uncomfortable, "What?"

"What?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Then why were you being so quiet?"

"You said to wait a minute, so I'm waiting."

 _Is he that stupid? It's a figure of speech_ , she put into her thoughts.

Arthur looked at her and finally spoke, "Okay, minute over. Also, Drax is my fighter name that my father gave me. He takes me to tournaments all over the galaxy to compete. My friend, Hovat's, father is our manager, so we get to talk."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Saffron looked up at him with admiration, she's never met an intergalactic fighter before.

"I apologize for my rudeness, but I did not ask for your name." Arthur said with the up most courtesy.

"My name is Saffron, Saffron Tortellia."


	2. The Real Chapter 1

_**Fourteen Years Later...**_

The Alien's Temptation bar had thousands of men and women who were dancing and drinking that night. Music blared from the speakers, but not too loud to upset the neighboring businesses. It was fantastic fun, but Saffron wasn't there for fun.

"This is Agent Tortellia, I have eyes on the subject, and will request for backup if he resists to come quietly." Saffron said into her communicator bracelet.

Saffron had been following this guy for months for her mission. This was her big chance at a promotion, and a new title among the Nova Corpsmen. If she messed up, then she'd be stuck cleaning the bathrooms, like her coworker, Tom.

The man she was after was a Centaurian mercenary named, Colby Mayers. Colby was the sliest criminal on the wanted list, Saffron would have to be careful. Who was she kidding? This was going to be child's play. Colby always left a clue on his whereabouts that he never means to leave. Although none of the clues fit exactly together sometimes, Saffron was always clever enough to figure them out.

"Excuse me, miss?" Saffron asked a serving girl.

"Is there anything you need?" the serving girl replied kindly.

Saffron pointed to Colby sitting at a table in the far corner of the bar, "Do you know what that man does in here?"

The serving girl nodded gently, "Colby always comes in here, making deals with strange people in masks. He's kind of a regular here now, but I never try to listen in on their conversations, it makes me nervous. Do you know him?"

Saffron took her badge out of her blue jacket, making the girl understand what she was, "Saffron Tortellia, Nova Corpsman, at your service. I'm actually here to catch Colby before he can do more harm to our officers."

Colby was not only a mercenary, but a thief and con artist. He had recently stolen some Corpsman ships, bombs, some jewels, and potting soil. That last item didn't make sense, I mean, it's just dirt. You can get that anywhere for free. Also, in the process of stealing these objects, Colby killed nine soldiers, wounded thirteen civilians, and destroyed the Nova's armory. Either way, Saffron was determined to catch Colby.

The serving girl's eyes widened slightly. She looked around to see if anyone was watching, and pulled Saffron into an empty cleaning closet. It smelled like mildew, broken dreams, and mop water in the closet. Saffron pulled back her arm free, "What are you doing? I have to-" "Yes, I know what you need to do, but I need you to listen." Saffron nodded, giving the girl her cooperation.

"I'll help you with whatever you need, officer, but we have to be quiet about this. If anyone were to find out about this, my father's business and reputation will be ruined." the serving girl said with worry creeping into her voice.

The serving girl grabbed a name tag, uniform, serving tray, and a bill book. She put all of the objects into Saffron's hands, "Here, take it."

"What's all this for?" Saffron asked with a quizzical look.

"It's so you can get close enough to him, without being suspected. And watch out, Colby can be a little... physical with waitresses."

"Thank you. Is there anything I can do for you miss..."

"Sapphire, and all I need of you is to get Colby out of here." Sapphire replied with a serious look before she left.

Saffron closed the door to the closet, putting on the waitress' uniform. The shirt was turquoise with long slits on the sides, which made Saffron feel utterly revealed, the shorts were black and only went to nine inches above the knee, and the vest was denim with the same slits on the sides. She didn't know if this was for a waitress, or a skimpy, high school girl whose gone to one too many parties.

The mirror on the door answered her question. "Kill me now, before someone sees me."

As an officer, Nova corpsman, and mother figure for her brother, Saffron would have to swallow her pride for the greater good of Xandar.

Creaking the door slowly open, Saffron made sure she was safe to come out. Luckily, everyone was too distracted by Sapphire singing karaoke to see Saffron get out of the closet. Saffron smiled slightly, Sapphire wasn't kidding about helping her with whatever she needed.

ZZZZZZZZ

The picture of his family brought back memories that he should have forgotten, but Drax could never let go. It was in his people's nature to protect those who couldn't defend themselves, and to avenge those who were murdered. Thanos had taken everything from him, robbed him of his good name, killed his family, destroyed half his home planet, and now made all his thoughts become murderous ones.

"Oh, not this again, Drax. Move on with your life, would ya?" Rocket had entered Drax's "bedroom" to tell him that they were on Xandar, but instead became annoyed by the picture Drax held once more.

"My mobility is fine, Rocket, and what is wrong for me to look at this photograph?" Drax said, not understanding what Rocket meant by 'moving on.'

Rocket groaned, "Forget it. We just landed, so put on the mask and trench-coat, we don't want any trouble with the Nova Corps."

Without hesitating, Drax grabbed the mask and trench-coat from Rocket, and put them on. Drax had a special request order for their mercenary-for-hire, and he hoped he had obtained it.

"Everybody ready?" Peter asked, poking his head in the door.

"I guess, but Drax is looking at the picture again." Rocket said, as he filled his special comet-blaster gun. Rocket never really understood what it meant to have a family, so he scolded Drax often for moping about his dead one. Although, if he did have a family, Rocket wouldn't be one-of-a-kind anymore, and he was proud of being the only one of his kind.

Peter glared at Rocket, "Could you stop being so mean about it? I lost my mom when I was a kid, and I know how hard that was, but you're a rodent who eats out of the garbage, so you shouldn't complain."

"Call me a rodent one more time, Quill! I dare you!" Rocket yelled with his gun pointed at Peter.

Gamora couldn't believe this was happening again. Those boys were possibly the biggest idiots in the galaxy, but they were her friends, so she had to deal with it. "If you all don't stop arguing right now, I'm going to give Colby a new kill mission, and take Groot with me since he's the only sane person here. Do you low-lives understand?" That's how she deals with them.

Peter, Rocket, and Drax nodded their heads. Although they have all been together for almost four years, the boys, even Drax the Destroyer, were still scared of Gamora. After all, Gamora was the daughter of Thanos, and she was the deadliest assassin in the galaxy. None of the crew wanted to be on her bad side. If you looked through her stuff, Gamora would throw an ax at your head, if you accidentally touch her, she would touch you deep in your skin with her nails, and if you even gave her a strange look, Gamora would knock you unconscious so that you wouldn't look at her for a week. Basically, Gamora was their worst nightmare with green skin.

"Come on, boys. We can't keep Colby waiting." Gamora said as she put on her own mask.

After waking Groot up from his soil nap, the Guardians of the Galaxy left their rented ship. The team maybe considered heroes, but they still steal to survive. Besides, it's not like you get paid for saving lives.

Drax examined The Alien's Temptation establishment, never really sure if he liked the place, or was disgusted by it. The exterior always looked like it was about to collapse, the inside was even worse with Xandarian termites nibbling at all the furniture, but he did like the service and food. A grumbling aroused, Drax and the guardians haven't had a decent meal in the past four days.

Groot handed a small plant to Drax.

With confusion in his mind, Drax asked, "What might this be for, friend Groot?"

"I am Groot." Groot replied, doing an eating motion.

Drax raised an eyebrow. His people never understood hand motions, sarcasm, or metaphors. Anything of the sort went over his head. If he were to read that last sentence, he wouldn't have gotten it either.

"Groot said that you can eat it, Drax." Rocket said with the irritation that he will forever hold in his heart for Drax.

Now that, Drax understood. He raised the plant to his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. The taste was sweet, with a bit of a tangy punch in the aftertaste, Drax enjoyed it, whatever it was.

"Ah, if it isn't my mystery employers. So glad you could make it." Colby called to them as they walked in the building.

The group sat at the table in the far right corner, near the bar, but not too close to any of the other tables so that they could talk.

Gamora started for all of them, "Do you have what we asked for?"

Colby nearly laughed his fin of his head, "Of course I do. Why would you ask such a stupid question?"

"Because I'm talking to a stupid person." Gamora responded coldly.

The other guardians snickered, they loved it when Gamora called out someone else for a change.

Colby laughed himself, "You got that right, my green goddess. I didn't even finish middle school."

Colby reached down to grab his burlap sack that was filled with the guardians' orders. He put it on the wooden table, sliding it towards them. Drax took the bag from the table, then handing it to Peter. Peter gave Colby the units in return. Colby nodded to the group, showing he was happy to do business with them. But before they could all leave the bar, "Hi, my name is Saffron. Now what can I do for you this fine night?"

Saffron walked over to their table in her waitress uniform, stopping them from leaving. The guardians and Colby were about to tell her that they were leaving, but Drax's stomach overpowered him. His stomach growled like rabid dogs, making him forget that he already had a small snack. With the aroma of food in the air that was calling to him, Drax replied desperately, "I will have one of everything!"

"You've got to be kidding me." Gamora and Saffron said dryly in unison.

Drax punched the table, hunger making him go crazy. "Why would I be jesting when I haven't eaten a full meal in almost a week?! Bring out the food, now!"

Groot looked at Drax, offended that he thought his own grown plants weren't enough to satisfy him. While Peter, Rocket, Gamora, and Saffron glared from irritation, Drax was wasting all of their time, but it did help with Saffron's mission. It gave her enough time to figure out what was in the sack, and it would take possibly all night to finish that amount of food.

Saffron got back into character, "Okay, so that will be one of everything for you." She took a pen from behind her ear, and the bill book from her pocket, writing down their food orders. "Anything else you guys will need?"

Peter spoke up, "No, that will be all. Also, might I say that you should be a model instead of a waitress? You definitely have the curves for it."

Inside her mind, Saffron was rolling her eyes while throwing him in a black hole. Saffron hated the womanizer types, but she had to keep her cover. She put on a cutesy smile, giving off the sense of a shy girl, "Oh, stop it! You're making me blush!"

"And me nauseous." Gamora muttered under her breathe.

"Now if y'all need anything else, just call." Saffron finished her performance with a fake sashay in Sapphire's direction.

Colby laughed from the bottom of his belly, "I like your style, man, and your choice of women."

ZZZZZZZZ

Saffron explained her plan to Sapphire, hoping she'd understand that this might mean losing all the food in the kitchen. Surprisingly, Sapphire took it all pretty well, mainly because it meant more units for her father's business. The two asked for some help in the kitchen, who were very cooperative, considering that Saffron was a Nova Corpsman. All and all, her plan was beginning to unfold, and she'll finally be able to capture Colby Mayers.

With heavy trays stacked with food, Saffron made her way to the table of convicts. The DJ put on a fast song, making almost everyone run to the dance floor, making it harder for Saffron to get through. Hundreds of aliens surrounded her, making her feel claustrophobic, she never liked being in crowds. Beads of sweat formed on her face, she has been trained for many situations at the Corpsman Academy, but not this. Saffron wished she was somewhere quiet, and serene that wouldn't scare her.

Elbows and bodies rammed into her, causing Saffron to lose balance. One by one the plates dropped, crashing into small, ceramic pieces. Saffron didn't know what to do, she was blowing her cover.

"Hey everybody, looks like we have a klutz on our hands." the DJ said over the mic, pointing at Saffron.

Everyone turned to her direction, laughing in her face like she wasn't another person with feelings. A blush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks, she felt a tear nearly escaping her eye, but she forced herself to not cry. If she cried, then it would show weakness, and she couldn't afford weakness. She dropped to her knees to pick up the mess, lowering her magenta eyes so no one could see the slightest look of hurt.

As she picked up the chips of plates and scraps of food, skin from the hand of another brushed against hers. "Sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Drax asked.

That voice was too familiar, Saffron looked up to meet Drax's white eyes, almost scared of what he'd do. When he ordered, he sounded like he would kill someone if he didn't get his food immediately, and she wasn't sure of what he was capable of.

Saffron put her head back down, "For dropping your food."

Although his stomach made an enemy of Saffron, Drax couldn't let her be tormented by these drunken bastards, besides, he could just eat more of Groot's leaf things.

Saffron was about finished with the mess, ready to hurry, and finish her mission. She put everything back on the tray, but thought that maybe she could first get some answers from the big guy that was helping her. When Drax stood back up, Saffron walked his way with a look of innocent curiosity.

"Excuse me Sir, but who is that? Is he a close friend of yours?" Saffron pointed to Colby.

Drax looked to where she was pointing. Although the guardians' business with Colby was private, he couldn't see why he couldn't tell Saffron, she seemed like a trustworthy young woman, even though she worked at a bar. Drax grabbed the tray for her, and put it on a nearby table. He pulled out a chair for her, then grabbed his own to sit.

Drax looked to where his friends sat, none of which were listening. "Colby isn't a friend, he only finds things that my friends and I want."

Saffron knew he meant steal instead of find, and if she were able to make him admit that Colby was a thief, she could arrest him along with the masked group. So, she continued the conversation, "So basically, he's your personal shopper."

Drax shook his head, "He doesn't buy our orders, he steals them."

The sides of Saffron's lips curved into a smirk, that was easier than she expected. Saffron put her hands behind her back, tapping the "backup" button on her communicator bracelet. In a matter of moments, this job would be over, and she can go back home to her brother with a new title.

Saffron got up from her chair, walking in Colby's direction, "That's all I needed to hear."

The guardians and Colby were in the middle of a discussion, not noticing that Saffron was there at first. Saffron draped her arms around Colby's neck, grabbing his immediate attention at her touch. She took her hair out of its tight ponytail, letting her fawn colored waves fall on Colby's left shoulder as she lay her head on it. Lightly, Saffron planted a passionless kiss on Colby's cheek, letting out a fraudulent giggle for extra effect. Peter, being a witness, nearly burst into sulking, he didn't think this was fair, he was usually the one to get the girl. As for Gamora, she thought Saffron was probably drunk from the way she acted, and the fact that she kissed a dirt covered stranger. Colby, however, smiled carelessly, "What was that for, my jewel?"

Saffron walked around to face him, and the other guardians, "I need some assistance from a handsome man such as yourself. Since I heard that you're a mercenary-for-hire, and you do jobs for women for a special price, I was hoping to start my payment now. I was thinking that maybe you could help me-" Saffron grazed her thumb horizontally across her neck, "-someone."

Colby nodded profusely, he couldn't say no.

Then, Saffron looked to the guardians, "This person is someone that no one would want to meet down a dark alley alone. Just maybe you fine men, and lady would be interested in helping Colby out?"

Rocket stood on his chair, "Listen lady, unless you give us a damn good reason for a murder job, we're not interested."

"Can I get a kiss if we get in on this job?" Peter asked like a hopeful child.

"Quill!" Gamora scolded him.

Saffron ignored Peter, pulling out ten units from her pocket. She slide them to the center of the table. She looked straight at Rocket with a grin, "I'll give you nine million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety more reasons for you to accompany Colby on this manhunt."

Rocket nearly created dollar signs in his eyes, that was a lot of units. With that kind of dough, he could make more bombs, weapons, and live the good life. Heck, he could probably buy Groot a solid gold planting pot. There was no way he could refuse. Although, it wasn't his call to make, it was Peter's.

Peter could see Rocket nearly drooling about the bounty, he couldn't blame him. If they could gather that bounty, the guardians would never go hungry, or hire a mercenary-for-hire ever again. That amount of units could help because units make the world go round. Although Peter wouldn't get that kiss he wanted, he thought that this mission could present new opportunities.

Peter stood from his chair, "Alright, we'll do it."

"Good choice. Now, meet me behind the building for extra information on your hunt." Saffron responded.

ZZZZZZZZ

As Saffron walked away from their conversation, Drax was left with no clue why she just left. He watched her back, wondering why she would want information on Colby. Either way, Drax was glad to help, even though he didn't know what he was helping Saffron with.

Sweat started to form under his mask, it was getting hot in the bar. Drax removed it, and that annoying trench-coat, he never liked covering his upper body. He watched as something was happening at his original table, but he didn't know what.

"Yeah, Saffron is one good actress isn't she?" Tom, Saffron's coworker, asked Drax from behind.

"She is not an actress, she is a waitress." Drax replied to Tom, not knowing what he meant.

"You're Drax the Destroyer, you should be able to tell who is a Nova Corpsman, or not. But since you didn't know, I'll tell you that Saffron has been a Corpsman for seven years. Right now, her mission is to capture Colby Mayers, and so far she's doing pretty well." Tom told Drax, pointing in Saffron's direction.

That was when it hit Drax harder than a boulder, Saffron was a Nova Corpsman, and his friends were about to be in her clutches. He stood from his chair, "If you would excuse me, I have some business to attend to."


End file.
